I remember one of my wishes when I was in Buenos Aires, Argentina, some years ago: I wanted to attend a university in the United Kingdom. After extensive research across all universities and programs, I decided to come to York to study for my MSc in Development Economics and Emerging Markets. I will share a week in my life, from Monday early in the morning until my late walks on Sundays before the beginning of a new week.
Monday:
My Mondays start very early because this is the day my schedule is full. I start the morning by leaving home from Campus East and going to Campus West by bike (thanks Uni for being so bike-friendly!) to begin with one of my favourite lectures. Of course, my ‘mate’ is with me. (Mate is a popular drink in Argentina: search the internet and try, please!).
I will then have another lecture and a seminar. The good thing about the University of York is that you can go from one class to the other, breathe the fresh air of York, and cross the lake at the University in the central hall or one of its bridges. I always try to take lovely pictures when walking from one place to another.
After this, I will have lunch at the library, study, and prepare for seminars on Wednesdays and Fridays.
At night, I love to cook something with rice, chicken, or pasta. Both are my favourite meals!
Tuesday:
On Tuesdays, I can sleep more in the morning because my first class is at 3pm. So, I wake up at 10am, have breakfast at home, and then go to the Library to start studying. My favourite part? The Postgraduate Room at Fairhurst! It is so colourful, quiet, and full of desks and boards! It is a very nice place to focus on what I must do.
After having lunch, which is something cooked the previous night, I go to my two-hour class and meet my classmates there. Sometimes, after Tuesday’s classes, we go into the city centre for drinks and to share some jokes and experiences; I love being in a multicultural environment! It’s not too late. I am back home, taking the 66 or 67 bus from the city centre and resting for my seminar day, Wednesday!
Wednesday:
I love Wednesdays! I have two seminars for 2 of the modules. For a better understanding, seminars are more practical and helpful in applying theories and knowledge learned from lectures. The hardest part of the day is when we all have to run from one college to another because one of my classes ends and the other starts at 1pm. I have to confess that we are always on time just because of the 4-minute gap the University has!
Of course, after these two seminars and some rest with classmates, while having lunch at the Cafe in the library, we go to the PG room at Fairhurst to continue studying til 8pm. At that time, my bike awaits me outside the Spring Lane Building to return home. On my way home, I can see some ducks or rabbits in the field, which makes me feel incredibly excited and alive: I am used to sightseeing buildings, cars, and noise in Argentina.
Thursday:
I have no classes on Thursdays, so I always take advantage of this time to study hard at the library from early morning until late afternoon. Some weeks, I was the first one in the PG room at Fairhurst, which made me so proud! Later, I meet with some classmates to study together and share knowledge, ideas, and points of view.
It is better to go to the Friday. I am sure you do not want to learn about maths and economics (haha).
Friday:
What I love about my Fridays is the Dissertation workshops! They are beneficial and full of tools, ideas, and techniques. This is a two-hour class; I have two short seminars after this. Fridays are a bit crazy because I have some gaps in the timetable. But relaxing for an hour from one class to another is always a good idea if it is Friday. The University provides some options for spending time indoors or outdoors.
Sometimes I am a bit tired on Fridays at night, but if not, going out with friends is a good idea!
Saturday:
York and Yorkshire are unique, and I always use Saturdays to visit different places in the region: museums, streets, markets, shopping centres, and different cities. My Saturdays are always different because I try to see a different place every weekend. But what is always stable is that I meet my friends at night in a club, pub, restaurant, or in a common room at Uni. This is one of the funniest moments of the week!
Sunday:
And the end (or beginning, depending on the calendar!) of the week arrives! On Sundays, I tend to sleep in the morning. But when I wake up, I quickly prepare for a nice walk during the day.
First, I go to one of the supermarkets in the neighbourhood to have all the stuff needed for the week and do the laundry at the college. Then, I walk to the city centre. It is more than one hour long, but this is an excellent chance to get fit (or at least try it). I love going close to the Minster, drinking some mate and rest, seeing the people walking around, and listening to the birds singing. When the night comes, I am on my way back home by walking again.
When I arrive at campus, I know I need to sleep because I have to be ready for a new week full of experiences, knowledge, study, and, of course… fun!
Read more student stories about studying Economics at York.
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